Torrhen Stark
King Torrhen Stark, also known as the King Who Knelt, was an ancestor of House Stark who, as King in the North, bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror in the War of Conquest. He was the last King in the North until the secession of the North and the Riverlands in the War of the Five Kings and the coronation of Robb Stark. Biography Background King Torrhen's reign coincided with the War of Conquest, in which the Andal kingdoms south of the Neck submitted one by one to Aegon the Conqueror. Torrhen amassed his army and marched to meet the Targaryen warlord but by the time he arrived, Aegon had already won the decisive Field of Fire and conquered most of the South of Westeros. After seeing Aegon's dragons and his massive host, Torrhen realized the war was already lost. Instead of fighting, he chose to bend the knee and surrendered his crown in order to spare his people. For his submission, Aegon named him Lord Paramount and Warden of the North. Though some Northerners sneer at Torrhen as "the king who knelt", his descendants Robb and Sansa Stark argue that Torrhen "saved thousands of lives that day" and that his critics forget they are alive today because of him."House Stark (Complete Guide to Westeros)""Northern Allegiances to House Stark" Season 7 When Jon Snow appears before Daenerys Targaryen on Dragonstone, the latter scoffs when Ser Davos Seaworth presents Jon as the King in the North and declares that the last person who held that title was Torrhen Stark, who bent the knee to her ancestor, Aegon the Conqueror, using Torrhen's declaration of loyalty in perpetuity to try and strong-arm Jon into confirming the North's fealty to House Targaryen."The Queen's Justice" Quotes In the books In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Torrhen Stark's story is the same. It is believed he knelt at the place where the Inn of the Kneeling Man sits at the time of the books. Torrhen's army numbered about 30,000 men, but the Targaryen army that came to meet him numbered about 45,000 - nor did this represent all of Aegon's new bannermen, just the ones directly facing him. Moreover, the Targaryens had their three huge dragons. Torrhen's bastard brother, Brandon Snow, volunteered to sneak into the Targaryen camp at night and attempt to kill all three dragons while they slept, but Torrhen judged that this was impossible and that the failed attempt would only invite further retaliation from the Targaryens, so he chose to surrender instead. As a result, neither Torrhen's sword nor the sword of any Northern lord was incorporated into the Iron Throne, as Aegon used only the swords of those he conquered, not those who capitulated. Torrhen Stark's decision to kneel before Aegon Targaryen saved the North from the devastation inflicted upon the Gardeners and the Lannisters. The Conqueror not only confirmed the Starks as the rulers of the North, but he also allowed them to keep their own customs: the Targaryens' laws would rule over the North, but they could keep their local custom of personally beheading condemned men instead of delegating the task to an executioner. Queen Rhaenys Targaryen, as part of her efforts to keep the realm together after the Conquest, organized a marriage between Lord Stark's daughter and Lord Arryn. However, although Torrhen had bent the knee, his sons did not want to serve the Targaryens. It was only over their strong protests that the marriage took place, and they refused to attend the marriage. The North remained in the realm, so it can be assumed that Torrhen was able to prevent his sons from rising up against the Targaryens. It is unknown if Torrhen was still alive when Aegon visited Winterfell in 33 AC, during his last royal progress. In "A Storm of Swords", after the Starks suffer a series of losses and the situation seems hopeless, Catelyn suggests Robb to surrender to the Lannisters. She reminds him that Torrhen Stark bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror rather than see his army face the fires. Robb answers angrily "Did Aegon kill King Torrhen's father? Never, I said". See also * References fr:Torrhen Stark de:Torrhen Stark pl:Torrhen Stark ru:Торрхен Старк Category:Kings in the North Category:Lords Category:Wardens Category:Lords Paramount Category:Nobility Category:Lords of Winterfell Category:Members of House Stark Category:Northmen Category:Deceased individuals